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Bills again need linebackers coach

Add linebackers coach to the spots Dick Jauron must fill on his new Buffalo Bills staff of assistants.

The Bills have allowed Johnnie Holland, hired last week to coach linebackers, to leave the team and take the same position with the Houston Texans.

Holland was contacted by the Texans to interview for their staff on the same day he accepted the position with the Bills. It was a move based on personal reasons, said Holland.

"It's an opportunity for me to go back home and be close to my family," Holland said by phone from Houston. "I grew up in the Houston area. My wife grew up in Texas. My parents are getting older. My wife's mom is getting older, and it's a rare chance for us to go home.

"My mom is not in the greatest health, and my dad has had two heart bypass surgeries. I have seven other brothers and sisters in the Houston area, and our kids can get the chance to know their cousins."

Holland, 40, spent the past three seasons with the Detroit Lions. He is an 11-year NFL coaching veteran. He also played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers while Jauron was defensive backs coach in Green Bay.

"I hated to miss the opportunity to work with Dick," Holland said. "I respect Dick so much. I've been around him for 21 years. He's a mentor. He's a man of his word. I know how he can motivate people. He's a smart coach, and he's a great leader."

Jauron and new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will begin interviews to replace Holland.

"Perry has some ideas of people he likes and feels comfortable with, and we're going to look in that direction," Jauron said. "I think it will be a win-win for everybody. It's a unique situation, and we feel good about making it work out. It doesn't happen very often in this business that a coach gets to go home and his family gets to go home, too."

Jauron said he still has some interviews set up in his search for assistants to coach quarterbacks and tight ends and to fill the offensive quality control position.

One person the Bills will target is Lloyd Lee for the linebackers job. The Bills received permission from the Chicago Bears to speak with Lee, a scouce in Chicago said. Lee was the Bears' defensive quality control coach the last two years.